Ayala-Lopez story brings back memories

Mike Ayala on Monday applauded the story in Sunday’s Express-News about his 1979 world title fight with Danny ‘Little Red’ Lopez.

“I’ve been given a lot of compliments from a lot of people about it,” said Ayala, 51. “I thought it was a great story. It was very positive about my troubles. I’ve never hid from that. I think if you have a troubled child, it should inspire them. I thought it was a great story.”

Ayala was found guilty of aggravated assault in connection with a 1977 incident involving another San Antonio boxer. He was sentenced to 10 years probation.

By 1979, Ayala put his troubled past behind him and battled Lopez in what may have been the greatest fight in city history.

Better than the Julio Cesar Chavez-Pernell Whitaker? Well, Chavez-Whitaker certainly had the hype, and it drew more than 55,000 people at the Alamodome.

But Ayala-Lopez went 15 rounds, and it featured one of San Antonio’s native sons in a nationally-televised drama that drew thunderous cheering from 13,000 at Convention Center Arena.

Ayala’s sweet style, a combination of artful footwork and precision punching, had the home of the Spurs rocking.

If you had closed your eyes, you’d have thought George Gervin was finger-rolling over Elvin Hayes in the NBA playoffs.

Alas, in the end, Lopez had the reach and a power punch that produced three knockdowns, the last one in the 15th round.

Thirty years after his battle for the WBC featherweight title, Ayala said his 14-year-old son may be ready for an amateur fight within the year.

Santino Ayala tells his father that he wants to fight in the Olympics.

“I passed on the Olympics,” Mike Ayala said. “He wants to do something I didn’t do.”